Stepladder-support-assembling machine



Nov. 1,1927.

J. E. KALG REN Nov. 1, 1927. 1,647,365

J. E. KALGREN STEPLADDER SUPPORT ASSEMBLING MACHINE Filed March 4. 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 M www@ ist Nov. l', 1927.

1,647,365 J. E. KALGRl-:N

STEPLADDER SUPPORT ASSEMBLING MACHINE Filed March 4. 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 jwmf/ Jbjm E. ffa/gre aba/fw Nov. 1927. l J. E. KALGREN STEPLADDER SUPPORT ASSEMBLING MACHINE Filed March 4. 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 port: shown in Fig. 1 assembled therein; :j

.30'scale;y e 1 i e Eig. 'g5 is a transverse vertical section taken ,e on" the line 5-15'015 Fig. `3, on an enlarged Patented Nov.A 1, 1927.

Y, joriiin. KALGREN, or MINNEAroLis, M1NNEsoTA,fAssiGivoa To fr.it."cit/i113'ooi\r `l i Panzer "MiNVNEAroLis,MINNESOTA, A" oonroim'rioiv or Minnesota. if

sTErLAnDER-suProiimiissniviiziiiiie Mii'ciiiiwiii.`

,.ppiicatinffiieaMarch 4,1927. seriinaivzn'si. v

l lM-ypresent invention has forits object to provide an .extremely simple and highly elli-` cient machine for use in assembling vstep ladder supports for step ladders proper and asecurelyI lholding the same while the vparts thereof aieconnected. Saidmachine is espe-A ciallyy designed for use in conjunction with y my. step ladder assembling machine described and broadly claimed in mycopending ap- `Generally stated, the-invention consists of the novel., devicesand combinations of devices hereinafter ,described and defined in lithe claims. 1 Y l i e '.In ;the accompanying drawings, which Yillustrate the y invention, like characters-indicate like parts throughout'tlie several views.

, Referringl to. the drawings: j

' support; s l.

Fig. 2 -is la perspective/view ofv the iml vproved step ladder support assemblingina-V chine with the parts ofthe step ladder sup-l fFig.'v 8 is a planr view'oi the parts shown in AF ig. 2;V

on. the lineflll of FigLlS, on an enlarged scale;

brokeny lines; and

Figs. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 18 are plan views of the stepladder supports for different sizedstepy lad-ders, all nof Awhich `have' been as- V '/45yisefnibled inthe machine f In'vthe 'drawings there arelshown several step ladder supports of different lengths, all

of which have been assembledrin the im'f proved in'achine without changing the adrjustmentthereof.'k 'In the trade, step ladders are referred to by the length .thereof and for convenience, thestep ladder supports shown in' Il`igs'.Vv 1, 2 'and 3' will hereinafter be r'e- 1 ferred .toas vthe ten ootkladder support, 'which is the longest that can beassenibled Implication;,filedFeb;v 16, :1927, under Serial the transverse width between the upper: or;

1 `Fig. 1 isa perspectrye view of a step ladder( f distance from the upper endsV oftherstanda lards '14...'In-addition to the bars-15;, the' 17, respectively,gwhiclioverlie the v,bars 15;

Fig. 4 is a transverser vertical sectionv talzen-I Inthe six'andfseven; foot ladder supports,

Fig. ,G'is a transverse verticall section lItalien l l35 :on the liiie 6-.6 of YFig, on an enlarged a detail view in transverse verti-I inthelmachine shown, and the-.'lad'der-sup-j' portsshownin Figs. 8,-9,10, 11, 12'land 13 will hereinafter'be'referred to as the` eight, Y seven,isix, tive, four and three :foot ladder.;y supports. f j -Each ladder support'shown comprises. two

vlaterally 'spaced standards 14 Yin converging. i relation and arpair 1of cro`ssedbrace `bars 15,

the end portions `of which bear onrthe outer edges otsaid supportsand are nailed thereto- A e5r` The outer ledges ofthe bars 15, at their end portions,V are beveled iiushl with. theuouter; faces of the standards 14.' It. is important.

to note that the two standards 14 of'each support have the same convergence, and that# converging fends of said standards are all, the same," y v A;

It will alsorbe notedthat lthe upper ends? of the crossed-brace bars. 15 are allthe saine eight and ten foot 4ladder supports haveT upper and lower transverse tiebarsl and and are nailedthereto, as wellas the standards 14 on which they .,rest. The'ffupper iv transverse `tiebars 16 intersect the crossed-V brace bars 15 v.at theirv points otintersection.,

the upper transverse tiebars 16 arey dispensed Vwith and the three, four and five ootladder supports do not have-any transverse tiebars.

i Each vladdersupport isfprovided .with a pail shelf 18 having a pair of supporting arms 19 `which project rearward therefrom and arefintermediately piyoted by rivets 20.` r to the lstandards 14. Said-supporting armsy 19 have the same convergence as the standv ards 14 towhichthey are pivoted, closelyl tit therebetween, and together with the v-pailf slielfv18l are adapted vto fold between said standards. The pail supports 18 and: their armsJ 19 are all of the'saine size', irrespective f of the ladder supports to which they are-at;` 1,00 tachedg .When ,in use, -thepai-l.supporti18 is turned horizontallyoutward of theladden support and the jfreel endsoi:I their supporting arms 19 engage the `under surface of the r next .to-the top step of the ladder properasl 105 anrabutment, and thus holclthe pail support V18gina horizontaliposition; i

Holes 21 are bored in the `standards, 141i,

near the upper ends'thereoftoreceiverivets rigidly secured to step ladders/proper, as shown in the above identified copen'ding application. To limit the spreading movement ofa step ladder proper and its support they are connected by a pair of toggle levers 22 which in rturn are connected at their inter? mediate pivots by a transverse handle 2 3. The same arms of the toggle levers 22 are secured by rivets 24 to the standards .14 and the other arms thereof are to be attached to the s tep ladder proper. The toggle levers 22 are ada' ted to fold between the standards 14 below t esupporting arms 19 when assembling a ladder support, as best shown vin Fi 1. 4

lglt may be here stated that the thickness of the stock from which the standards 14 are formed is all the same, irrespective of the length of the standards, and that the widthfof said stock is all the same, with the eXcept-ionof that ofthe ten footladder supportwhich is a little wider inV orderto give the-same the require-d strength.

Referring now in detail to the improved step ladder support assemblingmachine, the

Y numeral 25 :indicates a bed comprising a Each of said transverse members is in theA` formof al channel bar, the web ofwhich is in a vertical position and the upper surface'l of itstop flange is iusli with the upper surfaces'of the side member 26.

Between the transverse members 28 and` 29 is -a central longitudinal memberf33 in the form of a channel bar rigidly secured to saidtransverselmembers v28 and 29, with the upper surface of its web flush with thek `upper surfaces of said transverse members.

The bed 25 `is supportedon legs 34 rigidly secured thereto and suitably braced. The upper surfaces of the. members -26 and 27, and thertransverse members28 to 32, in-V clusive, as well as the central member 33 are all'in the same plane and `afford a true flat' working surface for the assembly of step ladder .supports thereon..

At the narrow end of the bed 25 and projecting thereabove is a transverseabutment 35 in th-e form of an angle'bar, the horizontal flange offwliich Vis turned outward, rests on the respective end member 2T and is yrigidly secured thereto. All the standards 14, irrespective of their length, are endwise positioned'by the abutment 35.

Mounted on leach transverse member 29,

30, 31, and 32 ofthe bed'25 is a pair of later# allyspacedanvils 36, .37,38 andf39, respec tively, and'i'nounted on the central member 33 are longitudinally spaced anvils 40 to 46, inclusive. Thepair ofanvilsi39 are mounted on a'bar 47 which l.rests on lthe ltopy .of 'the transverse member"`32 and is hinged 'thereto vfor Vmovement between the bside members-26 l and below the top of the bed 25, as shown bybrolren lin-es iinlig. 7

Secured to the `side members 26 of the bed 25 are two diverging-outer rows of longitudinally spaced upstandingpinsa1'to 0613, inclusive, and also secured 'to' said side :members' are two diverging linner rowsof longitudinallyspaced jpins 1to '51", inclusive. There is further secured to-the side members 26 fbetween vthe pins b5 `and lb vof each inner row, a pin 611 and between the -pins bs 'and b9, a pin Z212.

These pins 111and 7912 `are slightlyoffset inward from the inner rows 'of the pins b1 to- V510, inclusive. rrrIhe pins a1 to 013, in-

' clusive, and-b1 to b10-'of each fdouble row are parallel and f-laterally -spaeedlto receive and hold therebetween one of the standards 14 with its upperend in engagement with 4the abutment 35 to endwise -positionsaidstandard. Obviouslyfthese two -double rows .-of pins hold the standardsof'the ladder 'support assembled'in proper Vlaterally spaced and converging relation.

Before the fparts 'of -a ladder 'support are assembled in the improved'machine, they are all Acut and'finislied to "the `propensize, and

the holes'2l, together with the holes for .the

rivets A2O `and 24 are bored in the .standards 14.

In addition to the positioning of fthe standards y14 on the bed l2'5, the pins "a2 ,to c1", inclusive, andthe pins b2 to 510, inclusive, perform other important functions, .as will presently appear. `f In assembling a step ladder support, the standards therefore are ifirst laid Hbetween the doublel rows o'f ypins with their upper endsin engagement with ,the abutment 3'5. NcXt,;a ypair of the .bracebars'1`5'are laid on the "standards 14 in crossed relation, as shown in Fig. l.

between co-operating pairs of ypins @Sand p To endwise position the crossed-brace bars 15, the tapered lower ends thereof for a three foot ladder are inserted b2; Yfor afourf'oot ladder, .between the cooperating pairs of pins a4 and Z13; for alive foot ladder, between `the co-operatingpairs of pins as land '56; for a six lfoot ladder, between the co-operating pairs of Vpins d1- and 67; for a seven foot ladder, between the cooperating pairs o'f pins @mand V58;'.for `an eight foot ladder, between the co-operating pairs ofpins am and b9; and for aten Lfoot ladder, between the co-operating ,pairs of pins L13 vand-Z210. i

It will be noted thatthe `outer pins off these co-operating pairs for endwise posiupper ends ofthe crossed-brace-bars l5, ir. respective ofk their length, terminate the; same `distance from. lsaid abutment .The

pins'A a2.; afford abutments tofbe `engaged Vby v the upper endportionsgof the crossethbrace f tioning the Vcrossed-brace bars are Ysetv slightly nearer the abutment I 35' thanfthe.

inner yco-operating pin's,"to` permittheztavpered t lower end portions; of said lbars-,to be inserted therebetween,asbest'shoivii Fig. 1. These co-o-perating Vpairs vof pins are so spaced from the abutment 35 that the bars 15 to properly position the; saine-0n the standards'14.` The anvilsf40 to 46,- incluf sive,underlie the crossed-brace bars 15 for the thi-eef fourv `five six i sevenl vveicfht .nine c v'and ten footladdeis, at their points ofintersectiointo afford .supports for said bars i "at the time they are being connected by nails,

and to'clinch 4said, nails 'when they are being driven through the crossed-brace bars 15. By reference to Fig. '3 it will be noted that the crossed-brace bars 15 have their point `of intersection vdirectly over the anvil 46.

r1`he 'co-operating pairs of 4pins at `and 3 ,afford abutments for positioning the trans-- verse tiebars 16 of an eight footladder on the standards 14 and directly over the anyvil 46. l In lthe eight and ten foot'ladders,

the crossed-brace bars 15 are not connected at their points. of intersection until the transverse bars 16 have been positioned therein and then all of said bars are connected by nails, and the nails clinched by the underlying anvils 45 and 4.6,respectively. y

The co-operating pairs of pins a and 'b5 afford abutments for positioning thetrans verse tiebars 17 on the standards 14 for a six foot ladder and directly Vover vthe anvils 36. The co-operating pairs of pins a7 and Z211 afford abutments for positioning the transverse tiebar 17 for a seven foot ladder von the standards 14 thereof and directlyl over the anvils 37 For an eight foot ladder, the co-operating pairs of pins Rand 57 afford abutments for positioning the transverse tiebar 17 on the standards 14 thereof anddirectly over the anvils 38. The

co-opeiating pairs of pins a and Z912 aiord abutments for positioning the transverse tiebar 17 on the standards 14 of a ten foot ladder and ydirectly over the anvils 39.

Thetransverse tiebars 17 for six, seven, eight and ten foot laddersintersect the crossed-brace bars 15 thereof directlyy over the anvils 36, 37, 38 and 39, and said bars,

` at their points of intersectioinarev connected by nails which are clinched by the respective anvils. It will be .noted that the pins 3 have their faces notched at their upper ends vto receive the transverse tiebar 17 for an eight foot ladder, to properly ,edgevvise position the same on the standards14.

' By reference to Fig. 3 it Will be noted that 'the pins bi1@ andl 151.2 arev notcliedto afford, 'clearancesfor the`crossed'brace 4bar's151for the five andeightfootl ladders: The ,pinsV auf and Z212 and-a.13 and Z210 are' slightly vhigher than the otherpins in order to affordabut4 inents forthecrossedfbrace barsjg15 and the, transverse ,tiebar 17'` ofy a teny foot; -ladderf for the` reason that ,thelstoc'lr invthie-stand-Q -ards 14 therefore slightly-.WiderA than*- vthat yused in rthe standards for the other ladders. g

footladden vthe anvils `39are turned into4 inoperative positions to aioid.clearance for the crossed-brace barsf15thereof., .To afsy ford supports for the standards.14at the Vvtime the arins 19 and toggle levers 22are being secured thereto, and toupsettherivets...

` 2O and 24 by which they. areattachedto said`r standards, thereis securedto each side` bar .26, by brackets 47, a pair of longitudinally spaced anvils 48 arranged tojbe engaged by the outer faces of the standards 1 -Tlie bed 25 is provided. with a bottom plate 49 and the transverse members28 to 32,A i.nclusive,pdivide said bed into1a plural# l ity ofk compartments in Vwhich may be kept nails, rivetsptools and other objects.

From the above.description,it is evident thatstep ladder supports for step ladders of various lengths may be very quickly and accuratelyassembled and thus held While the parts thereof areconnected. It is 'evident that no adjustmeiitskof the machine are' re"- quired'toperforin the Vvarious different func-` tions for which it is designed. The above :l described invention: has, in actualr usage,

proven highly efficient yfor the purpose had' standards for attachment thereto a prede-y termined distance lfrom the stop. irrespective 'of the length of the crossed-brace bars.

iio

2. ,TheV structure defined in claim v1 'i which certain other of said devices' are arranged to afford abutments to edgevvise position the lower ends of said crossed-.brace bars on the standards.

3. A step laddersupportassembling inachinecomprising a bed having devices for laterally andendivise positioninga pair `of* standards, and a pair of side anvils at the outer faces of said standards to offset rivets used in attaching members to the'standards. 4. A step ladder support assembling machine comprising a bed having two divergingI double rows of pins, the pins of each row being laterally spaced to hold astandard positioned therebetween, a stop for the converging ends of the standards for endwi-se positioning the saine, certain oit' the pins in said rows being arranged in laterally and longitudinally spaced pairsr to afford abutments between which the upper ends of a pair of crossed-brace hars may be inserted to endwise position said bars on the standards for attachment theretov7 certain other of said pins bein-g arranged to afford abutments to edgewise 'positionthe lower ends of the orossed-brace bars on the standards for attachment thereto, and a plurality of longitudinally spaced anvils over which crossed-brace bars of different lengths eX-y tendl at their intersections.

5., The structure defined in claim 4 in which certain other ofsaid pins are arranged to afford transversely and longitudinally selective pair-s of valoutnients for edgewise and endwise positioning transverse tiebars of difand transversely spaced pairs of anvils over which crossed-brace hars and transverse hars ot' di'erent lengths extend at their intersections.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JOHN E. KALGREN. 

